Greece axes perk for civil service computer users

AFP, ATHENS

Sun, Sep 15, 2013 - Page 13

Recession-wracked Greece plans to scrap a perk for its civil servants who enjoy an extra six days of holiday per year — if they use a computer at work.

Greek Administrative Reform Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Athens wanted to axe the bonus that he dismissed as an “aberration.”

“There is still the possibility in the civil service, in 2013, to get six days more holiday per year because an employee uses a computer, that is to say, almost everyone,” Mitsotakis told Skai television late on Thursday.

Greece’s civil service union, Adedy, said the perk stemmed from a decision to give employees 20 minutes off per day to protect them from eye damage from staring at a computer screen.

This was then extended on an annual basis, resulting in six days off per year.